Slidably mounted tape loop former



P 7 G.'YG. KEEs 2,427,056

SLIDABLY MOUNTED TAPE LOOP FORMER Filed April 23, 1945 INVENTOR GEORGE G. KEYES BY K ' AZSORNEY' Patented Sept. 9, 1947 SLIDABLY MOUNTED TAPE LOOP FORME George G. Keyes, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application April 23, 1945, Serial No. 589,900 I 7 Claims.

1 The present invention relates to printing telegraph apparatus and more particularly to tape controlling devices therefor.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a tape controlling device to preclude the In prior devices of this nature, one of which may be found in United States Patent No. 2,355,- 657 issued on August 15, 1944, to R. A. Lake, it was discovered that under certain conditions in the preparation of fully perforated tape, the tape marking code combination that the tape would crease at these points when deflected downwardly by means of a tape deflector.

When the sensing unit of a telegraph transmitter is at rest or operating at a much slower speed than the perforator, the tape, by means of the tape deflector, forms a loop intermediate the units. As the tape loop increases in size, the lowermost portion thereof decreases in size, thus causing an increased strain on the surface of the tape, which is likely to cause creasing of the tape at this point. When a portion of the tape which has creased as afore-rnentione'd reaches the lowermost point of the loop, the increased strain may cause the structure of the tape to break at said central point of the loop and change the loop into a substantially V- shaped form. A break in the tape at the apex of the V-shaped loop becomes a, fulcrum point for the tape being fed into the loop. The tape forming the right arm of the V-shaped loop may buckle inwardly against the tape forming the left arm of the V-shaped loop, thereby causing the tape to form an upwardly extending loop which increases in size as the tape is fed through the perforator. The tape forming this upwardly extending loop will raise the tape deflector out of guiding position, thereby removing the only means of controlling the tape intermediate the perforat'or and the sensing unit. Thus, the tape may come in contact with the moving elements above the level of the perforator, thereby mutilating the tape and destroying the intelligence recorded thereon. l

would become so weakened by the "letters or all- Specifically, the present invention consists of a member, mounted pivotally on the punch block of the perforator, which has secured to it a rightangularly shaped bracket extending above and transverse to the tape. Mounted slidably in a vertical position on said bracket is a weighted member, curved at its lower extremity, which rides on the tape to depress it downwardly intermediate the perforator and the sensing unit.

A more complete understanding of the foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention may be had from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate similar parts throughout the several views, and in which v Fig. 1 is a partial front elevational view of that portion, of the printing telegraph apparatus, disclosed in the afore-mentioned patent, necessary to describe the present invention which is incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is a partial view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the present invention in its position when the tape is taut-intermediate the perforator and the sensing unit;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus embodying the present invention, and

Fig. 4 is a portionof tape having a letters orall-marking Code combination perforated therein.

Having reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the printing reperforator ll and the sensing unit I2 are substantially the same as the printing reperforator and sensing unit disclosed in the afore-men tioned patent, which is incorporated herein by reference. Since the unit under consideration is substantially the same as that disclosed in the above-identified patent, the description of that mechanism to be set out hereinafter will be of a general nature and will be detailed only in the description of those features which will facilitate describing the present invention.

A punch block I3 is secured to the reperforator casting 14, which in turn is mounted removably upon the base casting l5. The punch block l3' is suitably slotted to receive a tape [6 which is perforated, in predetermined code combination by the punch members (not shown) contained in the punch block l3. The tape [6 is fed through the punch block l3 by means of a feed sprocket (not shown) cooperating with fee-d holes in the tape I6 to advance it to the sensing unit I2 which transmits the message recorded in the tape [6. The tape feed sprocket (not shown) is secured 3 to a shaft I! (Fig. 3) which is suitably journaled in the punch block l3. Located at the extremity of the shaft I! is a thumb-nut l8 for manually rotating the feed sprocket.

The sensing unit I2 is of the pivoted or traveling type which is adapted to sense every code perforation. recorded in a tape. by thev printing reperforator; without the necessity of stepping the perforated tape a plurality of feeding distances from the perforating unit into the trans-- mitting or sensing unit. This pivoted sensing unit is described in detail in U. S. Patent 2,262,012, issued on November 11, 1941, to R. A. Lake and reference may be had to that patent .for the details both in structure and mode of operation of the pivoted sensing unit. The transmitter or sensing unit comprises essentially a plurality of pins or fingers to sense the perforations in. a tape, a member for feeding the tape through the transmitter havin rectilinear motion imparted to it, and a cam drum for controlling the operation of the sensing elements and the tape feeding memher.

The sensing unit l2 has a base casting 19, Fig. 1,-which is mounted removably upon the base casting 15 of the apparatus. "The casting l 9 consists of a pair of parallel vertical sectionsinterconnected by a relatively flat web portion. The leftward extremity of the flat portion of the casting I9 is formed with a vertical portion 2| which is channeled to serve as a journal for a shaft 22 and is slotted to provideacomb which serves to guide the vertical oscillations of the Y-levers 23, mounted pivotally' on shaft 22, which'support and operate the sensing pins 24. The rightward portion of the wall sections of the casting l9 support pivot studs '26, only one of which is shown, upon which the movable or pivoted portion of the sensing unit is secured. Specifically, the frames 27, only one of which is shown, are secured to the pivot studs 26. A plate 28 'is' carried by the pivotally mounted frame members 21 and carries a hinge-post (not shown) upon which is hingedly supported a tape gate 29 which in conjunction with the plate 28 defines the passageway for the per- .forated .tape through the transmitter. A spring latch 3| holds'the tape gate 29 in cooperating relation with the plate 28. Both the plate 28 and the tape gate 29 are provided with a plurality of apertures which are in alignment when the .tape gate 29 is in cooperative relation with the plate 28.

Theapertures-in the plate 28 receive the reduced upper portions of the sensing pins 25. There is provided a sensin pin or finger for each of the possible perforations appearing in a transverse-row of perforations in the tape,- plus an additional pin to be employed as a tape-out indicator.

The tape is fed through the transmitter'in accordance with a rectilinear feeding movement precisely as has been described in greatdetail in the above-identified"Patent 'No. 2,262,012 and illustrated in Figs. 9 and I2 thereof. In view of the detailed descriptionof this tape feeding mechanismin the-aforementioned patent; reference-should be had to said patent for a complete understanding of both the structural details and the precise mode of operation of this rectilinearly operable feed mechanism. The rectilinear feeding mechanism engages the tape feed perforations in the tape IE to advance the tape or the transmitter, depending upon the amount of tape intermediate the sensingunit l2 and the 4 punch block I3 and the position of said sensing unit.

The rectilinear feeding mechanism imparts a feeding stroke to the tape to feed the tape through the transmitter, and so long as there is a tape loop or tape surplus between th printing reperforator and the tape transmitter the tape will be advanced in this manner; but when the tape is taut between the reperforator and the transmitter the operating movement of the pivotally mounted transmitter will be restrained in a counterclockwise direction because of the engagement of the rectilinear feeding mecha .nism' with the taut tape and will result in the clockwise movement of the transmitter frame about its pivots '26. This movement of the transmitter will continue so long as the tape I 6 re mains .taut between the transmitter and the reperforator or until the .last character has been transmitted at which time the apparatus is stopped automatically, as described in the abovementioned patent.

As may clearly be seen, the sensing unit I 2 is pivoted to oscillate about a horizontal centerline; that is,through a vertical-plane. Moreover, unit I2 is adapted to oscillate in inverted pendulum manner about a center 25. This over center travel of the transmitter requires the inclined feed of the tape I 6 through the perforating punch block l3-in order that there maybe a substantially straight line feed of the tape l6 from the reperforator H into the transmitter i2 when the transmitter has assumed its maximum clockwise position; that is, in abutment with the punch block 13. The leftward. or leading surface of the punch block I3 is bevelled, inclined to the vertical, to present a plane which is substantially parallel to the position of the transmitter frames 2'! so that the plate '28 will be in alignment with the leading surface of said punch block l3. Thus, the tape l6 may: be fed in one continuous'line from the reperforator I i into the sensing unit l2 in this extreme position.

It is clear from the brief description of the rectilinear feeding mechanism of. the sensing unit, which has been pointed out above and which is defined in greater. detail in the above-identified Patent No. 2,262,012,.that the rectilinear feeding mechanism is normally in engagement with the tape, and it follows that. if the printing reperforator I I operates at a greater. rate than the operation ofthe sensing unit I 2 thereby accumulating tape .therebetween, the tape will push the transmitter in a counterclockwise direction, aided by gravity, about its pivots 26 until finally the transmitter has reached it extreme counterclockwise position; that is, in abutment with an adjustable limit stop 32. This adjustable stop 32 is suitably secured to a substantially U-shaped frame member 33 which span the-sensing unit and is secured. thereto by means of screws engaging the vertical wall sections of the casting l9.

A pair of tape supporting fingers 34, only one of'which is shown, are carried by the web portion of the frame 33 and extend forwardly of the transmitter unit toward the perforator unit,. extending, when the transmitter is in its extreme counterclockwise position against the stopv 32, between the spaces which intervene thefirst and second and fifth and sixth tape sensing fingers. The tape supporting fingers 34 by projecting through the tape sensing unit serve to support the tape and sustain the weight of the tape loop between the sensing unit I 2 and the reperforator H preventing bending of the tape over the plate 28 of the transmitter. Should the tape be supported by the sensing fingers 24 and the edge of the plate 28 and there be a. substantially large tape loop intermediate the sensing unit l2 and the reperforator II, it is possible for the weight of the tape to bend or substantially break the tape at the plate 28 and prevent the feed of the tape through the transmitter. The tape supporting fingers 34 which are provided obviate this danger.

Mounted pivotally on the punch block l3 by means of stud 3B is a substantially Z-shaped tape depressor, as seen in Fig. 2, supporting member,

31. Also mounted pivotally on stud 36 and sultably secured to member 31 is a right-angularly shaped bracket 38 which, by means of rivets 39, slidably support the tape depressor. The lower extremity of the bracket 38 is bent upwardly to form a deflecting member 42 to deflect the tape l6 downwardly between the punch block l3 and the tape depressor 4 I.

As shown in Fig. 3, the tape depressor 4| is mounted slidably in a vertical direction by means ofthe rivets 39 cooperating. with a vertical slot 43 in the tape depressor 4 The lower extremity of the tape depressor 4| is rounded to form a pocket 44 which carries a cylindrical member 46 therein acting as an additional weight to assist gravity in urging the tape depressor 4| downwardly to its lowermost position, thereby depressing the tape downwardly to form a depending loop intermediate the reperforator and sensing unit, as shown in Fig. 1. A storage container may receive the tape as it accumulates between the units. The additional weight of the member 46 is not sufficient to cause the tape depressor to break the tape l6 when the tape becomes taut between the perforator and sensing unit, at which time the tape will raise the depressor 4| to its uppermost position, as seen in Fig. 2. The extreme position of the depressor 4|, Fig. 3, is limited to the length of the slot 43 and the placement of the rivets 39 on the bracket 38. Extending outwardly from the depressor 4|, directly above the rounded lower extremity thereon and bent at a right angle so that its face is in a plane parallel with the edge of the tape, is a camming member '41, the operation of which will be, described in detail hereinafter.

It may be seen in the accompanying drawing that the tape depressor supportin member 31 normally tends to rotate in a counterclockwise direction to an operating position under the influence of gravity, and, if desired, a biasin spring (not shown). A pin or handle 48 extending outwardly from the rightward or U-shaped portion of the member 31, shown more clearly in Fig. 3, is provided to manually rotate the tape depressor in a clockwise direction to an unoperative position; that is, out of the path of the tape l6 as it emerges from the code perforating punch block I3. The tape depressor may be rendered unoperative in this manner when it is necessary to thread the tape, initially through the transmitter.

Located at the extremity of the member 31 furthest from the stud 36 is a notch 49 which serves to engage the plate 28 of the sensing unit i2 when the sensing unit is in its extreme counterclockwise position, as illustrated in Fig. Land to render the transmitter immovable with respect to the punch block |3 as long as there is a sulficiently large tape loop intermediate the sensing unit I2 and reperforator As may be seen in Fig. 4, when the letters or all-marking code combination perforations are .raises the slidable tape depressor 4|.

recorded on the tape It, as shown at 5|, the tape is substantially weakened due to the amount of material removed from that transverse section of the tape. When the letters or all-marking code combination 5| is recorded in the tape in certain positions relative to the other code perforations which have only one perforation in their transverse sections, the tape is weakened considerably due to the marked difference in cross-sectional strength of the tape at these points, thus making the tape susceptible to creasing at said weakest point.

A brief description of the passage of the tape from the reperforator to the sensing unit under different conditions will now be given to illustrate more clearly the function of the tape depressor.

Assume the sensing unit I2 to be locked in its I maximum counterclockwise position by the member 31 through the notch 49, as shown in Fig. 1,

and the reperf'orator operating at a greater speed than the sensing unit. The tape l6 emerges from the punch block I3 and i depressed by the tape depressor 4| to form a depending loop intermediate the two units. The tape depressor 4| rides on the tape until it reaches its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 1.

As the tape I6 is fed from the punch block l3, in a step by step manner, its forward motion When the forward motion ofthe tape I6 is stopped, the tape depressor 4| depresses the tape to form it into a dependin loop intermediate the repertorator and sensing unit. Thus, it may be seen that the tape deperssor 4| will bob up and down as it gradually drops to its lowermost position. By mean of the yield created by mounting the tape depressor-4| slidable on the bracket 38, there is no sudden increase of strain on the tape ||i as the tape is formed into a gradually increasingly smaller curve to form the right arm of the depending tape loop intermediate the reperforator and sensing unit, thereby minimizing the possibility of creasing the tape a afore-mentioned.

When the tape depressor 4| is in its lowermost position, the tape l6 follows a path substantially as shown in Fig. l, curving downwardly and sliding along the back of the lower portion of the tape depressor 4| to extend the depending loop of tape as shown in dotted line position 52 in Fig. 1. If the sensing unit II is not operating, the tape |6 is extended downwardly into the depending loop to enter a storage receptacle (not shown) wherein it is stored until such time that the message recorded on the tape is to be transmitted.

Assuming now that the speed of the sensing unit has been increased so that it is operating faster than the reperforator, the depending loop of tape intermediate the two units will decrease in size until the tape is taut between the sensing unit I2 and the reperforator thereby raising the tape depressor 4| to its uppermost position and rotating it clockwise until the notch 45 of supporting member 31 is out of engagement with the plate 28 of the sensin unit. |2, as shown in Fig. 2. The operating movement of the transmitter is restrained in a counterclockwise direction because of the engagement of the rectilinear feeding mechanism with the taut tape and will result in the clockwise movement of the transmitter frame about its pivots 26. unit [2 is pivoting in a clockwise direction the rightward edge of the plate 28 engages the camming periphery of the supporting member 31 to As the sensing permost' position', Fig. 2, thereby rotating the cammingmember- 41 and-the supporting member 31' in a:clockwise direction until they 'are'both resting-on the upper surface of the plate28'when the sensing:- unit I2 abuts-the punch block l3; As may be seen in Figs. 2 and 3, when the camming member-J4 1 is rotated in a clockwise direction; the tape-"depressor" is-raised out of engagement withthetape l6. A-switch (not shown) is provided-,tointerrupt-the operation of the sensingunit l2 when it comes into abutment with thepunch block. I 3,- as previously mentioned.

Althougha specific embodiment of the inventionhas-been"disclosed in the drawings and described-in thespecification, it is'to be understood that the invention isxnot limited to such specific embodiment but may be modified and rearranged without departing from; the spirit and scope of the-invention.-

What is claimed is 1. In a device for forming a loop oftape, afirst tapeguide, a second :tape guide, a pivoted-supportingimember mounted on said first tape guide,

8. a predetermined size, said tape directing {meansbeing operated'by'the tape when the-loop;isless-- than 'a predeterminedsize to rendersai'd record ing and sensing.mechanismsmovable*withrespect to one another.

5. A telegraph apparatus comprising a record ingimechanism' to record-messages on atape,-:a.- sensing mechanism to senserecordedmessages; said mechanisms being in juxtaposed relation'and movable with respect to one another, a blocking;-

m'ember mounted onone ofsaid-mechanism's, and

abracket secured to said 'supporting member, and

a slidableelement supported on said bracket directly: over the tape intermediate said guides, wherebyjsaid element is adapted to act under the influence of-gravity to-depresssaid tape to form a loop therein:

2. In a'devicefor forming a loop of tape, a pivoted supporting member secured to a unit having atape advancing means and biased in-a-manner whereby its'extremity rests on a second unit having-a tape advancing means, abracket secured on'tsaid supporting member, and a weighted member mountedslidably on said bracket directly over the. @tape intermediate said units, said element actingunder theinfluence of gravity, to depress said-tape to form a loop therein.

3.: In: a telegraph, apparatus, the combination of a recording mechanism to record indicia On a stripya record sensing mechanism to sense the strip; said sensingmechanism being in juxtaposition with said indicia recording mechanism and movable relative thereto, a member mounted pivotally orr said recording mechanism; a bracket secured-to said pivoted member, and a weighted element mounted slidably on said bracket directly over-said strip intermediate said recording mechanism and said sensing mechanism, said element acting under theinfluence of gravity to depress said strip toform a loop therein and said pivoted member operable to render said sensing mechanism immovable with respect to saidrecording mechanism when the. tape loop is greater than apre'determincd size.

4: Ina telegraph apparatus, means to record characters on a tape, means .to sense recorded characters, said recording and sensing means being inzjuxtaposed relation andmovable with respect to one another, means including a slidable weighted instrumentality to direct the tape into a-loop form intermediate the recording and sensing-means and blockingmeans to render said recording and sensing means immovable-with respectto one another When said loop has exceeded a slidable weighted member secured to said block ing member in engagement with said'tape and adapted to direct said tape into a loop' between said mechanisms whereby said blocking member is movable into blocking relation"With'said mech'-' Y anismswhen the-loop exceeds-a predetermined. size, said slidable weighted member beingope'r ated by the tape-when the loop is less'than a pre determined size'to move said blocking member out of blocking-position and to render said recording and sensing'mech'anisms movablewith respect'to each other, whereby one'of said mechanisms en= gages saidslidable weighted member to move it p out of engagementwith said tape.

7. In a telegraphap'paratus; in combinationa recording mechanism to record indicia on-a strip, a record sensingmechanism being-in juxtaposition with said indicia recording mechanism and" movable relative thereto, a member mounted piv otally on said recording mechanism, a bracket se cured to said pivoted member, and a weighted element mounted slidablyon-said bracket directly over said strip intermediate said recording mech anism and said sensing mechanism, said element" acting under the influence of gravity to depress said strip to form a loop therein, said pivoted member operable to render said sensing mecha: nism immovable with respect to said recording mechanism when the tape loop is greater than a predetermined size,said weighted element being operated by the tape when the loop is less than a predetermined size to move said blocking mem ber out of blocking position and torender said 60 sensing mechanism movable with respect to the recording mechanism; whereby the tape table of the sensing mechanism cooperates with the camming peripheries of" the pivoted member and the extension arm of the weighted element which are in alignment when said weighted element 'is-in its uppermost position to rotate" said pivoted member and weighted element until they are rest ing on the upper surface of said tape table'orsaid sensing mechanism and thereby causing said" weighted element tobe out of engagement'with" said tape.

GEORGE G. KEYESZ 

